


match

by downtothewire



Category: Marvel, Runaways (Comics), Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Online Dating, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 21:33:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14481624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/downtothewire/pseuds/downtothewire
Summary: A meet cute that all started because Karolina's overly excited self swiped right on Tinder.Nico and Karolina both study at the same university, but have never properly met. Properly, because Karolina definitely knows of Nico. It all changes when Karolina swiped right. At first Nico can't believe she's not being catfished, because there is no way that girl exists. However, a chance encounter at the university's library is enough to prove Karolina's existence to Nico and to allow the romance to blossom.





	match

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! This is a random concept that came into my head after a really gorgeous girl matched me and I could only think that I was definitely 100% without a doubt being catfished. Cool. I'll let you know how that proceeds.
> 
> Got the whole Karolina as an architect idea from a fic on tumblr by thatoneloser-kid, thought it fit the part here too.

For weeks Nico didn't swipe right, because she was positive she was being catfished. There it was a gorgeous girl super liking her on Tinder. Who super likes someone anyway? So, Nico avoided the app altogether - not wanting to say no to the girl, but scared to say yes and face the harsh reality. She carried on with her usual college schedule. It was nearing midterms anyway which meant she had to pay extra attention to class. She didn't have time for fake people on dating apps she wasn't even sure why she was on in the first place.

It all changed, however, one faithful afternoon. She was at the library studying when she heard a loud noise followed by the librarian shushing the person loudly. She looked up annoyed to see someone had knocked over an entire row of books off the shelf. She was not helping clean that up. Then she looked at the culprit - it was the blonde girl from Tinder.

Real and in person. Flesh and bone. Nico looked on in shock. So maybe she did exist, and, okay, maybe she could help clean up. The girl was looking at Nico, her cheeks flamed red from embarrassment, but just as quickly she dipped down and started collecting the books that were on the floor. Nico couldn't look away from the girl. She was even prettier in person.

She shook herself out of her revelry, stood, and walked towards the frantic girl who was just finishing aligning the books precisely - avoiding all eye contact with Nico as she approached her. Nico could tell that the girl could see her out of the corner of her eye and decided that if she wanted to play coy, Nico could play coy too. She bent down, picked up a book from the floor, and handed it to her.

"You forgot one," Nico offered - deadpan - and walked away. A moment later, outside the library, Nico grabbed her phone and swiped right on the girl, who, she now saw, was named Karolina.

Inside the library, Karolina looked at her phone as it dinged. She had a new match on Tinder. Leaning against the shelf, she saw that the match was Nico - who had been there not two minutes ago. Karolina lost all semblance of balance. She brought the books on the shelf down and was shushed for a second time in the span of ten minutes.

After fixing her mess - maybe she was the mess, who knew? - she ran towards her dorm frantically to find her roommate Gert. She practically barricaded the door down in order to deliver the news to her best friend.

"Woah, Karolina! What's--" Gert started, but was interrupted by a phone being shoved at her face.

"Why am I looking at your Tinder profile? Is that really your bio? Karolina, you shouldn't--"

"She liked me back, Gert!" Karolina squealed.

"Pretty sure it's called matching, and who?" Gert said casually.

"Nico!"

"Oh, okay. Finally this becomes something interesting. Let me see." Gert extended her arm to receive the phone from Karolina. She scrolled through it for a moment before her eyes widened.

"Karolina, no..." Gert shook her head in disappointment.

"What?!" Karolina panicked.

"You can't super like someone!" Gert sounded exasperated.

"I can't? Why not? I really like her. So I super liked her."

"No one actually super likes people on Tinder, unless you like know the person as a joke or something. I'm surprised she even matched you."

Karolina curled into herself, anxious with the possibility of already messing this up when it barely started.

Gert noticing her mistake, comforted her friend.

"No, Kar. Don't worry. It's okay. You've been stalking her for forever now, and Nico's nice. It's good you finally took a step in the right direction."

"I haven't been stalking her..."

Gert ignored her and continued, "There's no way she couldn't like you. You're great. And she already matched you, so, that has to mean something."

"I'm going to message her and tell her I didn't mean to!" Karolina proclaimed.

"No!" Gert shouted.

Karolina winced, "Why not?" She asked.

"Kar, you already _super_ liked her. Let her talk to you."

So, Karolina took Gert's advice and didn't message Nico. Though her finger itched every time she clicked on Nico's profile, which just happened to casually be everyday. Four days went by and Karolina was starting to break. She was going to lose it soon. She hated Gert's advice.

On the other end of the phone, Nico was just as anxious as Karolina. The girl had blushed profusely at barely making eye contact with Nico, and now: nothing. Nico was done waiting for something to happen, however, and decided to take matters into her own hands. She wasn't the type to sit around. She was still not going to message the girl though - more out of pride than anything else. She enjoyed a bit of a game, she had to admit, and she was definitely going to have to force her own matchmaking.

She had properly stalked Karolina online at that point and was aware of who her roommate was and how she just so happened to be in Nico's photography class. A classroom friend was just what she needed for this to work. That same day she purposefully didn't write down the homework and went to Gert and Karolina's dorm to ask the former what it was as an excuse to see the latter. She just hoped Karolina was there. She guessed she could've written it down and still asked, but the key to a good plan was leaving as many of your steps covered as possible.

She knocked at their door and opening it, pimple cream on her face and a bun on top of her head, was Karolina. She looked down and her eyes widened when she saw Nico standing there. Karolina locked her phone that was at her side in a rush. She refused to let Nico see she was looking at her profile.

"Nico!" She practically screamed nervously, "I mean, um, hey. What's up?" Nico thought Karolina might pass out, because she was a deep purple blush that was sort of worrying at this point. Nico thought she looked cute though. A little more human, a little less amazon goddess too, which made this easier for her.

"Hey, is Gert here?" Nico asked.

"Um, no, but you can come in if you want. She just went out for a minute." Nico concluded this had worked out even better than she had planned.

"Yeah, sure." Karolina moved out of the way to allow Nico entrance and rushed into the bathroom to wash the acne cream from her face. When she walked out, she removed her hair from the bun and Nico was struck as her hair fell to her shoulder. So, much for the whole amazon goddess thought.

"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was coming over. I thought Gert just forgot her key again."

"Don't worry about it," Nico dismissed still slightly gawking. Karolina melted at how cute the girl was, and in her room. She couldn't believe her luck that Nico would show up in her room, suddenly, exactly when Gert had left. Nico, however, could believe it.

She stood at the foot of Gert's bed, while Karolina took a seat on the edge of her own.

"I'm Karolina, by the way," she introduced.

"I know," Nico answered her, a smile on her face as Karolina smiled at her nervously.

"You can wait sitting if you want," Karolina offered gesturing towards Gert's bed across from her.

"Okay," Nico answered, but instead of sitting on Gert's bed, sat next to Karolina on hers.

Karolina was grabbing the sheets like a lifeline as she attempted to keep the conversation going. "So, what do you need Gert for?"

"I forgot to write down our homework for a class and her dorm was the closest," Nico shrugged. This wasn't precisely true as there were two students whose dorms were closer to Nico's than theirs and she hadn't exactly forgotten as much as chosen not to write it down, but Karolina didn't need to know that, Nico thought.

"Oh, what class?"

"Photography."

"Oh, yeah, of course. I've seen your pictures on instagram. You're really good," Karolina commented without thinking.

Nico turned to look at her. Her body was closer to Karolina than was healthy in order for her heart to beat properly. Nico raised an eyebrow as she asked, "You have?"

Noticing that she had basically just admitted to stalking her, Karolina ducked her head to avoid eye contact. "Yeah, um, I think I might've seen it on my explore page or something."

"Oh, okay," Nico said. Karolina was afraid the conversation had taken an awkward turn when Nico continued, "Yours is not so bad yourself. Did you like Paris?" A smirk played on her lips. Nico wanted Karolina to know she was not alone in this conversation. She liked to chase a person a bit, but once she was with them, she just wanted to know them better. And she really wanted to know Karolina better.

This made Karolina look at Nico in surprise, the shy smile back on her face. "It was nice, I'm studying to be an architect, so, the buildings were gorgeous."

"I can imagine. Maybe one day I'll go. Maybe one day you'll take me." Nico flirted cheekily.

"Um, yeah, sure," Karolina uttered.

"How is architecture?"

"I like it a lot. I think it's just fascinating that we get to create something so personal that one day people will call a home, you know?"

"That's nice," Nico said - a goofy smile plastered on both their faces as they looked at each other. Karolina's hand now relaxed on the bed sheets. Nico's hand inches away from hers.

"How's photography?"

"Um, I actually minor in photography. I major in business. My parents didn't let me major in photography. Not stable enough or some bullshit."

"Oh," Karolina stalled as she tried to think of comforting words, "I think your photos are awesome. You can always have a job photographing my future projects if you want."

"Thanks."

A knock sounded at the door. Karolina startled and realized she was much closer to Nico than when they originally started out. She walked to the door to open it and on the other end was Gert, already apologizing for forgetting her keys again.

"Sorry, sorry. I know I said I wouldn't forget them again, but I promise--" Then she noticed Nico. "Nico?"

"Hey, Gert."

"What are you doing here?"

Nico had to take a beat to remember, "Um, what was the photography homework?"

"You were supposed to take photos inspired by Peter Beard," Gert told her.

Nico was deep in thought now, but about something completely different. She was thinking about how the hell she was supposed to complete that assignment in the middle of Los Angeles. Would she have to go to the zoo? She hated the zoo. Fuck. Lost in her thoughts she stood up from the bed and made her way out of the room turning at the door to address both girls, "Bye," then just Karolina, "I'll see you, Karolina."

Still dumbstruck Karolina waved, cringing when she noticed that Nico didn't see her and probably thought she was rude.

Gert rounded on her in a matter of seconds, "Explain."

Karolina did, to the best of her abilities, but the truth was she was just as confused by the enigmatic visit paid by Nico. Part of her believed the girl's excuse about the photography homework, part of her didn't - a very hopeful part.

She decided to then message her - what's the point of waiting anyway? Karolina was an overly eager person in general, she was aware of that. She might as well show that side of her now.

When Nico got to her dorm still in deep thought about her homework, she was momentarily distracted from the great distraction that was Karolina until she looked at her phone. There laid a simple message on Tinder.

Karolina: Hey!

Nico: Hey, are you used to super liking girls on here then not sending them messages for days?

Karolina: No! It was an accident.

Nico: Oh?

Karolina: I mean, not an accident. But you know. I was gonna send a message. I promise.

Nico: I'm kidding. It was nice seeing you.

Karolina: Yeah, you too.

Nico: Wanna do it again sometime?

Karolina: Paris?

Nico: I was thinking we build up to Paris. Start small.

Karolina: What did you have in mind?

Nico: Come to the zoo with me?

Karolina: The zoo?

Nico: I have that photography assignment. Need to shoot animals and the zoo has animals.

Karolina: I don't really like zoos. I don't like seeing the animals in cages.

Nico: Of course, you don't.

Karolina: What do you mean?

Nico: Nothing. You're just cute.

Karolina: We could go hiking and see what we can find in the wild?

Nico: Okay, but if my project sucks, you're explaining to my professor why I had to shoot a rat or why I got eaten by a coyote.

Karolina: A risk I'm willing to take.

Nico: Interesting, good to know. Friday, 10 AM?

Karolina: Okay. See you then :)

Nico: You too.


End file.
